Coin controlled scale



COIN CONTROLLED SCALE June 11, 19 35.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1'7, 1933 INVENTOR. HAROLD L MAL/ 52,

ATTORNEYS.

June 11, 1935. H. L. WALKER COIN CONTROLLED SCAL E Filed May 17, 1933Z'Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HAROLD L. H ALKs/a A TTORNEYS.

is a shaft 22 which is rotatably mounted by the frame work of the scaleand is shifted by means of a crank 23 and link 24, which latter isconnected to the plate I4. Secured to the shaft 22 is an arcuate member25, which is provided adjacent its inner edge with a series of spacedtangentially extending stop members 26 and which has an inclined surface2'! extending from the stop members to its outer edge. The inner end oflever ll terminates in a' supporting portion 28 which, when the lever I1is moved downward ly and inwardly, comes to lie to the rear of the stopportions 26. In such positionthe pawl 16 is free of the ratchet l andthe lever [9 may accordingly assume its initial position without thelocking mechanism reengaging.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that if a person steps upon theplatform of the scale the plate 54 will be depressed to its properposition, but nothing further will occur. If there-' upon, a token orcoin isdeposited to depress the lever l9, the pawl [6 will shift out ofengage:

ment with the teeth of the ratchet l5 and will additionally be supportedagainst reengagement in view of the fact that the contact element 28 ofthe lever I1 will lie beyond stop elements 26.

The rack ll will now be free to rotate the shaft tween the tangentiallyextending stop elements 26. Upon this occuring, thepawl I 6 will moveinto contact with the ratchet l5 and prevent further movements of theregistering mechanism, except as they follow incident toga return ofsuch mechanism to normal or zero con dition. Obviously, very minordecreases; in weight upon the platform would not serve to reengage thelocking mechanism,. because the arcuate member would be rotated to' aninsufficientextent to releasethe lever 11. These decreases would, ofcourse, follow'incident to a person shifting around on the platform.However, it has beeniascertainedjthat it is virtually impossible foraperson to step off a scale platform' and another person to step on thescale without causing a decrease of say, for example,

five pounds, and irrespective of the weight of, the two personssuccessively occupying the platform.' Such a decrease in weight would besuf- Ificient for the supporting element 28. to move between.adjacentstop members and thuslock the mechanism.

Obviouslythe member 25 shifts whether a coin is deposited or not, and solong asweights'are placed upon the platform. This is inconsequential,and if in lieu of the crank 23 and link 24, it

is preferred to employ a rack and pinion structure, this may readily beachieved, as shown in Figure 4. In this view, the numeral 3!! indicatesa rack bar which is. securedto the plate [4, the

:teeth of which mesh'witha pinion 3|. ,Anannular member 32,corresponding in cross section to that of the member 25 is mounted uponthe shaft 33, which supports the member 32 and the pinion 31. Underthese circumstances thezlever I! will cooperatewith the member 32 inexactly the same manner as that heretofore described in connection withthe arcuate element 25.

Obviously, numerous changes of structure and rearrangements of the partsmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined by the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A scale including, in combination, a registering mechanism, arotatableshaft forming a part of said mechanism, a member shiftablyrefsponsive to a weight associated with said scale,

means whereby said shaft may rotate responsive to the degree of movementof said member, an annular ratchet secured to said shaft, a pawlengaging said ratchet, a lever mounting said pawl, meansfor supportingsaid lever in a position wherein said pawl is disengaged from saidratclvet, a coin releasingmechanism for shifting said lever, said supportingmeans comprising a body connected .to andshiftable in response tomovements of said member, and a series of lever diverting elements,associated with said body and acting to move the same to an unsupportedposition in response. to movements of said member. J

V 2. A scale including, in combination, a registering mechanism, arotatable shaft forming a part of said, mechanism, a member shiftablyresponsivev to a weight associated with said scale, means whereby saidshaft may rotate responsive to the degreeof movement ofsaid member, anannular ratchet secured to said shaft, a pawl engaging said ratchet, alever mounting said pawl, means supporting said lever in a posi- '-tion'wherein said pawl is disengaged from said ratchet, acoin releasingmechanism for shifting said lever, said supporting means comprising arotatable body having aplurality of lever divert ing surfacesadjacentits inner edge, means for connecting said body to rock inresponse to movements of said member and means forming a part of saidlever and cooperating with said diverting means whereby to shift saidlever to unsupported condition in response to movements of said member.

3. A scale including a registering mechanism, a rotatable shaft forminga part of said mechanism, an annular ratchet secured to said shaft, apawl engaging said ratchet, a lever mounting said pawl, a supportingmember disposed adjacent said lever and to support the same inapositionwhere said pawl clears said ratchet, and an angularly extending linkconnected to saidlever whereby upon said link being moved, said leverwill be rocked to have said pawl clear said ratchet and to have its endswung to engage said supporting member...

4. A scale including, in combination, a member movable responsive toloadsimposed upon said scale,v a registering mechanism" to evaluate saidloads, means normally locking said registering mechanism againstoperation and including a lever shiftable to a position to permit ofsaid registering mechanism operating, means for so shift- ,ing saidlever, means for maintaining said lever in shifted condition, saidlatter means including a surface to be operatively engaged by saidlever,

,means adjacent said surface and movable in one direction to divert saidlever to its locking posi-' tion, anclmeanscoupling said diverting meansto said load responsive member whereby upon the latter moving in acertain direction, said diverting means will act to shift said lever tocause said registering mechanism to be locked against operation.

senting a surface to be engaged bysaid lever to 7 support the same inshifted condition, and tangentially extending stop elements mounted bysaid annular member and to engage said lever to divert the same fromsupported condition upon said annular member being rotated in onedirection, the diversion of such lever resulting in the latter operatingwith said registering mechanism to lock the same against operation.

6. A scale including, in combination, a member movable responsive toloads imposed upon said scale, a registering mechanism to evaluate saidloads, means normally locking said registering mechanism againstoperation and including a lever shiftable to a position to permit ofsaid registering mechanism operating, means for so shifting said lever,an arcuate member presenting a lever supporting surface to retain saidlever in shifted position, means for coupling said said latter member tosaid load responsive member whereby both will have simultaneousmovement, and stop elements associated with said arcuate member andcooperating with the lever when the former is moved in a certaindirection to divert said lever out of operative engagement with saidsupporting surface, the diversion of such lever resulting in the lattercooperating with said registering mechanism to lock the same againstoperation.

7. A scale including, in combination, a member movable responsive toloads imposed upon said scale, a registering mechanism to evaluate saidloads, means normally locking said registering mechanism againstoperation and including a lever shiftable to a position to permit ofsaid registering mechanism operating, means for so shifting said lever,a member mounted for oscillation and connected to said weight responsivemember, said oscillating member presenting a lever supporting surfacewith which said lever is to be shiftedinto engagement, and stop membersdisposed adjacent said surface and cooperating with said lever to divertthe latter therefrom upon said oscillating member being rocked in onedirection, the diversion of such lever resulting in the lattercooperating with said registering mechanism to lock the same againstoperation.

8. A scale including, in combination, a member movable responsive toloads imposed upon said scale, a registering mechanism to evaluate saidloads, means normally locking said registering mechanism againstoperation and including a lever shiftable to a position to permit ofsaid registering mechanism operating, means for so shifting said lever,a member mounted for oscillation i and connected to said weightresponsive member,

said oscillating member presenting a lever supporting surface with whichsaid lever is to be shifted into engagement, and stop members disposedadjacent said surface and cooperating with said lever to divert thelatter therefrom upon said oscillating member being rocked in onedirection, said lever supporting surface being inclined towards saidstop members to constantly urge said lever into operative associationtherewith, said load responsive member moving under certain conditionsto shift said oscillatable member to cause one of said stop members toin turn shift said lever to a position at which it cooperates with saidregistering mechanism to lock the same against operation.

a HAROLD L. WALKER.

